Melissa Blair-Tracy

“GEOTalks” is Blair’s innovative program idea designed to promote geographic awareness throughout the state and make advanced placement (AP) human geography accessible beyond the public high schools that offer the course in the state. As a way to extend the knowledge beyond her school, Blair will videotape at least 10 expert speakers who will deliver lectures in the AP human geography courses for her ninth through 12th-grade students as part of a speakers series. Speakers will include college professors, scientists, and business leaders with expertise in geography-related fields such as development, agriculture, population, religion, and sustainability. Students who miss class and future students will be able to access the digital version of the lectures regardless of whether the guest speaker ever returns to the classroom. Students will blog about the experiences, making the program a collaborative learning experience across the state. In addition to the knowledge gained from the lectures, they also will gain recognition and awareness of both cultural and gender diversity, professional role models, challenge stereotypical thinking, and generate more interest in geography. Blair lives in Wilmington.